Check out our success stories, below!

Jeethah Atwal

Several years ago, I walked happily into my doctor's office seeking treatment for my cold/flu that I had for several weeks. Not a big deal. As my eyes met the doctor's, my heart sank. Right away, I knew that the words that would soon flow out of his mouth would be words of despair. As I felt the heart-breaking energy in the room, it happened. He announced in the same tone that he would a death that I was a diabetic. He went on to inform me that it was due to my weight.

I walked out of the office with tears in my eyes, yet not fully understanding what this truly meant. My lack of understanding was short-lived. Unfortunately, in the upcoming weeks, I was about to soon find out.

Almost instantly, my life changed for the worse. First I fell down the stairs and scraped both of my knees. Thought I had just tripped. Then I fell into a pond and my nail popped off. Thought I had just tripped. Then I fell randomly on the grass field. I was too dizzy to get back up. Again, thought I had just tripped. My daily bike riding came to an end because I just couldn't balance. At the mall, I couldn’t step on the escalator because I knew I'd fall. Sleeping didn't help, because I'd wake up gasping for air, unable to breathe. Regardless of my many falls and injures, I remained the happy-go-lucky person that I often am. Yet, it was different. I randomly broke into tears. By tears, I mean that I would fall to my knees and cry uncontrollably. For no known reason. This would happen almost every day.

It took me several months to realize that my diabetes was showing its TRUE colors. Yet, I was clueless to what my next step would be. My list of struggles was endless. Not only did I cry each day, but I made everyone around me cry as well.

Fearing I'd fall and get hurt or I'd randomly break into tears. I spent the next months wasting my time by watching TV and googling random things on the internet. I'm so thankful I did, because that was how I came across Gin's Facebook group. I joined the group to pass my time, thinking it would be a good waste of time. At that time, I didn't know that it would change my life.

I was welcomed by hundreds of people with open arms. My first post received over 500 reactions and over 200 comments with useful advice and encouraging comments. I was hooked. Not only to the group, but to fasting as well.

Within the first week of fasting, all of my medical issues disappeared. No lie. It really happened that fast. I had unbelievable sleep, I stopped falling all over the place and most importantly I stopped crying. I couldn't believe it. Oh, right. I almost forgot... seven months in, I lost 40 pounds doing 20/4.

I truly love Gin's book because the information saved my life. I truly love Gin's Facebook groups because when I was crying they welcomed me and cried with me. Soon when I started to laugh, they laughed with me. Gin and this group became my world. To them I will be forever thankful.

Thank you guys for having me.

Lyn Huston

In August 2016, I was starting my 29th year of teaching. The beginning of every school year is always very busy and I usually lose 15-20 pounds without really trying very hard, just from being very busy and not having time to eat. Having (probably) topped 250 pounds during the summer, and fighting with a host of medical issues such as chronic knee pain, Type II diabetes, and high blood pressure, I decided to really try to put that time of “easy” weight loss to work and see if I could make something of it.

I did a typical calories-in-calories-out and carb limiting diet up through the middle of October and did lose about 15 pounds. Sensing the end of the busiest time of my school year, I ordered an indoor trainer for my ElliptiGO bike and promised myself I’d use it every day to make the purchase worthwhile.

My trainer arrived at the beginning of November, and at the same time, a friend of mine told me about intermittent fasting, and specifically, a book called “Delay, Don’t Deny.” I was pretty skeptical but told my friend I’d do it with her. I ordered the book, and we actually started before we had even read the book using the tips from Gin’s Facebook groups.

Long story short: after 777 days, a first year of 20:4 IF and a second year of mostly <2 hour eating windows, I attained my goal of losing 100 pounds.

The stats: while I’m sure I exceeded 250 pounds during the summer of 2016, my highest recorded weight was 247 pounds in the previous May. I wore a size 22-24, or a 3X. I now weigh 147 pounds, and I wear size 3/5/7 jeans depending on the brand, a size small or medium shirt, and a size 6 or 8 dress.

If you had tried to tell me two years ago that I’d be able to ride my ElliptiGO up a 5,000 foot mountain, wearing size small biking shorts, I’d have just laughed and never believed it. Seriously, this has been the simplest way I’ve ever had success with weight loss in my life. Other than a couple of years in high school of “white-knuckling” I’d been obese my entire 50 years of life.

This feels completely sustainable to me. I have freedom from counting calories, points, and carbs. I have a healthy relationship with food—I’m not constantly thinking about it! I’m almost never hungry. I eat whatever I want during my window, and have a real dessert most days. I really did learn to like black coffee, and it only took about a week to transition.

Biggest lesson learned: if Gin tells you something, like don’t buy too many new clothes in size large because soon you will be in mediums or smalls, or maybe try delaying your desserts for a couple of weeks, you can fight against it if you want to, but in the end she will be right and you will wish you’d listened sooner!

A.R. and B.R. of Oregon

The photo on the left should've been a happy milestone. It was our twentieth wedding anniversary, and we were celebrating with a photo shoot complete with a stunning custom-made scarlet dress. But underneath those smiles, my husband and I were suffering from escalating health problems: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, crushing fatigue, chronic depression, pre-diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and more.

And then we found fasting. One year later, we decided to re-create our photo shoot to celebrate the twenty-first anniversary of our wedding and the first anniversary of our lifesaving health transformation. That’s the same scarlet dress, which my seamstress took in by twelve inches to fit my current body. Following the advice of Dr. Jason Fung and the supportive community led by Gin Stephens, we've lost a combined 232 pounds so far and watched all those health problems disappear.

Once we learned to speak the natural "fast and feast" language of our bodies, appetite correction sorted out our eating habits effortlessly. Fasting taught me that I was never a glutton weak in willpower, nor was I ever "eating my feelings." My inability to stop eating--and to stop eating toxic garbage--before finding the fasting lifestyle was directly caused by the effect of insulin on my cells. As soon as fasting balanced my hormones, I appeared to have herculean control over food. But I've learned it's not about control, nor even food at all, it's about fasting's power to heal our bodies, change our relationship to eating, and prolong our lives.

For decades, doctors following outdated, misguided nutritional guidelines sent my husband and me into the battle for our health armed with nothing but a wet noodle. Then finally, Jason Fung and Gin Stephens put the sword of fasting in our hands. Thanks be to God.

Kim & Ryan Smith

Unbelievable.

The most common feedback we get from others is that they can't believe our transformation, that we are unrecognizable, that we don't look like the same people.

We don't feel like the same people, either. It's more than the 200 pounds we have lost. After struggling with food for decades (him since childhood, me since my mid 20s), we are finally FREE. We have gained and lost weight. We have tried numerous diets, separately and together. We struggled. We felt deprived. We gave up hope that there was a better way. During our 15 year marriage, we dealt with a lot of change in our extended family, our finances and our careers. Dysfunctional eating became the one stable constant in the center of our lives.

I found Gin's book, Delay, Don't Deny, in May of 2017 at a time when Ryan and I were following two separate diets, ones through which we'd both lost a fair amount of weight. I call it "semi-successful struggling," because although these plans had taken weight off our bodies, we were still grappling with cravings, "cheating," and ultimately, we were once-again starting to regain weight. We read the book, began clean fasting daily, and suddenly everything clicked. The fasting felt amazing, our food tasted delicious, and we could eat what we wanted. Eating in the same pattern helped us get aligned in many ways. The remaining weight melted away within months and maintenance feels so natural. We only delay, we do not deny.

We now live a life where the struggle is gone. The changes in us greatly transcend the physical. Peace and joy have replaced fear and angst - we truly feel FREE. Everything about our lifestyle now - the saved time and money, the freedom from cravings, the ability to eat intuitively and enjoy every bite of food - it all seems to too good to be true. But it isn't - it is true, it's real, and it is available for everyone who embraces the IF lifestyle. I am grateful to Gin and consider her a true mentor - not just with the weight loss, but in our new venture to write a book that tells this transformation story in full. You can follow our progress at www.fastingfeastingfreedom.com. Wishing you all a happy, healthy journey!

Amber from Indiana

I began slowly gaining weight around 10 years ago. I attribute this to a time of extreme stress which caused me to quit caring for myself physically. Prior to this I had always been what most would consider thin. It took a few years for the weight gain to become visible to others, and even then, most would not have considered it extreme. It wasn’t until about 2015 that it really became noticeable.

I rationalized my weight gain, however, and consoled myself with comparison to others. On occasion, I would encounter a picture that I was not able to throw out, and I would be confronted with the truth. I had gone from wearing sizes 4-6 to wearing 12-14’s at the height of my weight gain. I had no idea how much I weighed, as my scale had broken years before and I had never replaced it.

In the Summer of 2017 I made a trip to Bed Bath and Beyond and on a whim, I decided to step on one of their operating scales. Before I did, I guessed that at 5’ 7.5” that my weight would be in the 160-pound range. I knew that wasn’t great, but in my mind, I could justify it. So, I stepped on the scale and it said 188.8 pounds. I stood in the store in front of two other women and wept.

In a moment of clarity, I decided to get it together and buy the scale. I went home and had a total pity party. “How could this happen? When did this happen?” I knew the answer to both questions. I had done all of it.

The next day I got up and resolved to fix the problem that I had created. I was the only one capable of digging myself out of the hole. I began by just watching what I ate, walking every day, and focusing on healthy fats and portion control. It wasn’t long after that I began a HIIT workout three times a week. I lost weight with this approach, but an odd thing happened... I found that when I got up in the morning that I no longer wanted to eat breakfast. In fact, I resented being told that I must.

At some point on my Facebook feed I started getting information about Intermittent Fasting from various sources. One that I remember suggested that women should fast 12-14 hours, then have their first meal. I dabbled with that for some time and felt great doing it.

It wasn’t until November of 2017 that Delay, Don’t Deny: Intermittent Fasting Support showed up on my Facebook feed. I was intrigued and joined the group. Within a day or two I had purchased the book and read it in an evening. I’ve never looked back since.

Starting in November I began fasting 16 hours a day. I quickly within a couple of weeks went to 19:5 and then shortly thereafter went to One Meal a Day, or OMAD. It felt so natural and freeing. In the middle of December of 2017, my husband joined me in OMAD and we are still OMAD to date.

Prior to IF I had lost 19 pounds. Since I began IF in the beginning of November 2017, I’ve lost an additional 31 pounds for a total of 50. My husband has lost 30. In addition to the weight loss, both of us have a renewed lease on life and an appreciation for each other. I no longer have to pick my clothes based on what I need to cover up, but rather what I should showcase. At 48, that is a definite WIN. :) My husband has found increased endurance for his physically demanding job as a builder at 57.

Neither one of us plan on ever going back to eating as we did before.

Intermittent Fasting is now our lifestyle.

Thank you, Gin for making this accessible and easy to understand! ❤️

Alex Boss

I was one of those kids who could eat anything they like and still be skinny (I just grew taller instead, finally reaching 6’ 4”). I was also into many sports (swimming, tennis, football). In my 20s, I cycled to work every day (over 100 miles a week), which meant putting on weight was still never an issue for me. I was used to eating what I liked and as much as I liked and still being slim, but in my 30s when my son was born, I found I was too tired to cycle in to work, I would eat sugary snacks just to pep me up for the afternoon (which of course just meant I crashed an hour later and turned to more high sugar snacks...). I slowly put on weight but then took action (no unhealthy snacking at work) and slowly lost some of it again; until, that is, my daughter was born. Again, the sleepless nights with a baby caused a bad diet, eating to stay awake at work, too tired and zero energy, and no free time to exercise. I gained several kgs. I had always been between 85kg and 88kg (187-195 lbs) but I had gone up to 93kg (205 lbs). Not massive, but I felt I had no control. My thighs started rubbing together as I walked :o( . I thought there was no way ‘back.’ I had never been on a diet in my life and everything I had heard told me that “diets don’t work!” You end up weighing more. People told me that weight gain is what happens as you get older, as your metabolism slows you get the middle age spread, that’s life...but that’s not how I see myself, and that’s not how I want to be. But what could I do?

I have a biology degree so I began to read about the biomechanics of weight loss. I read about how hard it is and why people can’t stick to diets - I read lots about metabolism and sugar, ketogenic diets, and then about insulin resistance and fasting.... I watched documentaries and YouTube videos, which then led me to videos about fasting and the benefits. That’s when I came across intermittent fasting, I could still eat for 8 hours a day and lose weight, build muscle, heal my body, stop the all day sugar rollercoaster. It seemed too good to be true! I started slowly, just missing breakfast and having black coffee (yuk!!), then having lunch at 12 and eating normally, with dinner to finish at 8pm. In the first couple of months I had hard days and easy days but the more I did the clean fast the easier it got (and the more I learned to love black coffee) and the more I enjoyed it. I found Gin and Melanie’s podcast (www.ifpodcast.com) and then Gin’s book and her support groups.

I eat two meals a day (TMAD), usually in an 8 hour window, and sometimes as low as 5 hours. Getting the feeling of being in Ketosis and knowing I am burning fat, knowing I am in control of my weight, and knowing that I am going to be eating a large satisfying meal later all felt great. I eat so well: bread, beer, pizza, chocolate, ice-cream, hamburgers, steaks, cheese, pasta, bacon! But the longer I did IF, the smaller quantity of food I wanted, and the healthier foods seemed so much more appealing. I am now 1.5 years in, doing IF every day (well most days). I am leaner now than I have ever been in my adult life (82kg) I am in control and I love this way of eating. It’s so simple and easy to apply and I even love my black coffee! (Cold brew in the summer.) I have signed up for a triathlon this August, and I am learning about being a fat adapted athlete. I am looking forward to getting older, feasting on what I want and staying in great shape with ease. It’s all so simple: Delay, don’t deny!

Kela from SC

I did it!!!! Today marks my 365th day of IF and the first time in my life I've had the willpower to focus on my own health and happiness.

I'm 5'9" and always been "big boned" with an obese/overweight BMI. My highest weight was 192lbs in October 2016 and I've lost less than 20lbs since starting IF a year ago. I've always weighed "a lot," but that doesn't make it any easier to still have a BMI in the overweight range despite my commitment to clean fasting since day 1. For many, that small amount of loss would be a reason to quit.

I've spent most of my adult life in a size 12/14 weighing a little more than I do now give or take. I started IF wearing size 10 jeans. This past summer I bought all new clothes in a size 8. Now they are all too big. I had to buy smaller underwear for the first time in my adult life. Large t-shirts are too big on me for the first time in my adult life. That string bikini I bought as a joke...well, it's too big. I've run several races over the past few years and all my running shorts/shirts are too big. I'm just about ready to commit to size 6 jeans...but not yet. I'm no longer the girl who is "large" everything. I weigh less than what is on my driver's license...and we all know that was a lie from the start. I am no longer the "biggest" person when in a group of people. If you have been this person without fail, you know how painful that is. IF has healed some of the autoimmune aspects of my hypothyroidism. I really do look younger! THIS is why we don't quit. THIS is why we trust the process.

I truly eat whatever I want during my window. I am REALLY good at delaying, knowing I don't have to deny. During the work week, I pretty much stick to OMAD. During the weekends, I have more of a window. We went on vacation this summer where I stuck to my window and had no weight gain. We went to Disney for a week where I stuck to an extended window and had no weight gain. This holiday season was the most relaxed I've been this whole year and the couple of pounds I gained (and will lose by the end of the week) were totally worth it. This flexibility and not restricting what I eat has been what helped me be successful. I'm sure I could lose more weight with more restrictions, but I can promise you I would have quit a long time ago. Besides, people don't see my scale but they certainly see my figure. If only my face would get with the program and slim on up....

My food preferences have definitely been the biggest change since starting IF. I'm not opposed to cake and sweets but I'm not as dependent on sugar as I once was. I used to NEED something sweet after eating or I would get shaky. I struggled with hypoglycemia on a regular basis...but not once in the last 365 days, even when donating blood. I crave veggies and quality proteins. I started eating/craving real, quality cheeses for the first time in my life. The thought of wasting my one meal on fast food, boxed meals, or cheap sandwiches hurts my soul. When I do want sweets, I gravitate toward a specific taste rather than anything and everything in the pantry. Poor Little Debbie is lost without me. Despite trying everything, I haven't been able to adapt to black coffee so I open my window every day with a cup of sweet, creamy coffee as my own little "high five" for sticking with it.

I know this is long, but I hope this helps someone else stay the course. I've watching my mom diet since the day I was born. I grew up never knowing what full-fat salad dressings and non-diet sodas tasted like. I never understood why she couldn't love herself and see own beauty in the same way I loved her and thought so was beautiful. Then I became a mom and those little punks did to my body what I did to hers. It became very hard to feel worthy or lovable. I dabbled in Weight Watchers, counted calories once, and took ONE diet pill (no thanks) but could never commit because I knew they didn't work. I'd watched my mom lose and gain and lose and gain my whole childhood. She has willpower of steel and I knew I wouldn't be able measure up. But this....THIS WORKS. Maybe I haven't lost a lot of weight, but I have healed a very broken body and have patched up a very damaged soul. This was for me. I can say, without a doubt, IF has become and will remain my lifestyle.

Sarah Morley

I came across the Delay, Don’t Deny Facebook page when I started looking into Intermittent Fasting back in July 2017. I was finding it increasingly more difficult to keep the weight off, even though I was eating fairly healthily and was running twice a week. I went on to buy Gin’s book and it just made so much sense. I started doing 16:8 at the end of July just before I went on holiday for two weeks. The week before my holiday I dropped about 4lbs. I did a bit of IF on holiday and when I returned I started doing 20:4 every day. During September, I was trying to keep to a LCHF (low carb high fat) diet and then started to add more carbs in to my diet. I have been steadily losing weight and my measurements are down each week. When I started looking into IF I was a UK size 14 and now in December I am a size 10. I have lost 16 lbs. to date and feel great. The support from the Facebook group has been immense and to see so many others having success with DDD just keeps me motivated. I’ve started upper body weight training over the last four months, just twice a week and I love it. I often work out in a fasted state and I can see that my arms are shaping up and getting muscle definition. I can’t believe how easy this way of life is and thanks to Gin for all her support, knowledge and encouragement. I introduced both my husband and my sister to IF and they are having great success. I love the freedom it gives me and I no longer feel guilty about the foods I love to eat. I’m 47 and I’m back to being in better shape than I was in my 20’s. The DDD lifestyle is for keeps!

Terry DeGraw

Morbid obesity plagued me for 15 plus years. I used every excuse I could to justify eating: celebrate, happy, sad, holidays, even the death of my mom. I even told myself I’m fat and happy. That was one of the many lies I told myself about my weight.

I complained frequently about my weight and a true friend suggested low carb. I made the decision to start after vacation in April, 2017. When I came home from vacation, I started immediately, and within a couple of weeks I started feeling less bloated. That, in and of itself, was very motivating. By June I was down 25 pounds eating 2 boiled eggs for breakfast, 2 for lunch, and a small portion of meat and green vegetables for dinner. I never cheated and I never snacked. I was and still am strict. In July I reduced my 2 breakfast eggs to 1 and replaced my 2 lunch eggs with a premier protein drink. By August I wasn’t hungry for breakfast so I started skipping it. I started doing some research and discovered intermittent fasting. I quickly realized I was fasting from dinner each evening until my protein drink at lunch.

Further research revealed OMAD (one meal a day). I stumbled upon Gin’s books and her Facebook group. In September I started OMAD. To begin OMAD, I simply cut out the lunch protein drink and suddenly I was living one meal a day, feeling so good and full of energy. I was instantly hooked. I lost 55 pounds eating low carb in 5 months and I’ve lost an additional 37 pounds doing OMAD for 2 months.

My goal was to just be normal, so I set a goal of 150 when I started my journey at 237 pounds. I reached that goal with low carb and OMAD. Once I reached 150 I reset my goal for 145. Once I reached 145 I reset my goal for 137. I’m 5’, and 137 pounds puts me in the normal category on the charts for my height. I have gone from women’s plus size 20 stretch pants and a 3xl top to size 5 jeans and small tops from the juniors department. I’m still reeling and sometimes I’m afraid it’s a dream and I may wake up fat. My husband has not joined me in OMAD, however, he eats low carb with me and has lost 46 pounds. We are happier as smaller people. It’s been a great journey for us together. My new found revelation of eating to live verses living to eat has changed my life. I’m healthy and full of energy. I’ll be 49 in Jan. of 2018 and I feel 30. If I had to say in a few words what I’ve learned from this journey it would be to listen to my body and trust the process of clean fasting. It’s given me my life back. #OMADNESS

Natasha of Trinidad and Tobago

Throughout my 30s I've had struggles with weight loss. I have tried lots of strategies, including the 1000 cal and HCG diets, diet pills, brutal exercise regimens....you name it, I tried it in my quest to lose and keep off-the-shelf weight. In the end I would regain all and more. Why? Because I love food, would eat whatever...whenever, and have the stuff that I restricted in abundance once I reach my goal after dieting.

In February, 2017, I decided on a spiritual fast in order to adopt good eating habits. Yes, I sought God to deal with my problem. I decided that if my body is a temple of God, then I should treat it as such. I embarked on a stringent 21-day prayer and fast which started on the 1st day of the said month. During this time, I'd have no rice, flour, meat or sugar, and whatever I consumed I'd have before 6 am and after 6 pm each day. Nothing but water during the 12 hours. Most days I consumed just the evening meal due to work or being too lazy to get out of bed at 5 to prepare breakfast.

At the end of the 21 days, I had gone from 192 to 182 lbs. I was ecstatic, and that prompted me to look up the benefits of fasting. It was then I discovered what I know now as Intermittent Fasting. Yes, God answers earnest prayers. I watched videos on YouTube and read posts on different sites. One day I searched Facebook for Intermittent Fasting, and it was a pleasant surprise to find so many groups on IF there. I eventually decided on Gin's OMAD (One Meal a Day) group, and again, that had to have come from God, because I've seen posts by "professionals," and frankly, they leave a lot to be desired. Finding Gin's OMAD group was the beginning of the end of yo-yo dieting for me. I had finally discovered a way to eat without denying myself the foods that I love and would binge on after denying myself for the sake of dieting for long periods of time.

It turned out that OMAD didn't suit my lifestyle, but 16:8 does. I eventually learned of the sister group Delay, Don't Deny, and that's my "sweet spot". Almost supernaturally, I came into possession of Gin's Delay, Don't Deny book, and it was definitely a great help. I still refer to it sometimes.

I love that I'm no longer a slave to food nor the scale. Now losing is fun because it's effortless. My window opens at 8 am and closes at 4 pm because I love breakfast. By the way that's another advantage of IFing; it's adjustable to suit your schedule and RIGIDITY ISN'T NECESSARY!!! Hey, I swear by this "way of eating".

lisa Simpson

I've never been able to do the normal diets - eating disorder since I was a teen (binge/purge), thinking that was a great way to lose weight. Didn't happen. For me, there were good foods and bad foods. If I ate the good ones, I was ok. If I ate anything I considered bad, I felt this overwhelming urge to get rid of it. The weight kept going up - every 5 pounds I gained, I wished I was where I'd been 5 pounds ago. I had short periods of lower weight while doing community theater, nightly walking my dog and jazzercise.I actually visited a friend years ago and saw she'd lost weight - she said she ate dinner only, whatever she wanted. At the time, that just sounded crazy to me and I dismissed it - wish I'd paid better attention.

I cleaned up my diet while doing some research on living on a food-stamp budget. Less eating out, more eating at home. Joined a co-op and started getting lots of fruit and vegetables to play with.

In the spring of 2015, I ran my first ever 5k and at the pre-race pasta party, Team World Vision was there and said they could take me from 5k to marathon in time for the Chicago marathon in October. For whatever reason, I believed them and signed up. I spent that summer training, along with some weight training to strengthen my legs. I thought all that running would HAVE to help me lose weight. I finished that marathon, very slowly. I only lost 10 pounds, which went right back on when I quit running.

In late 2016, I found IF (intermittent fasting) and OMAD (one meal a day). I remembered that friend I'd visited. I started in January 2017 at a weight of 172, wearing mostly size 14s.

I saw absolutely no loss per the scale for at least 3 weeks, but my belly was going away and clothes were fitting looser. I did a 72 hour fast and dropped 5 pounds, sat there for a while; another long fast with a drop, and sat there - but then my body seemed to start to learn what to do.

I generally use a 4 hour eating window but have had some longer ones when something comes up. I don't restrict because that would make me obsess. No journaling, because that would also make me crazy.

It's now September 2017. I wobble between 146-148, but my body looks completely different. I'm wearing anywhere from 4s to 8s in clothes. I'm sleeping well, my skin looks better, and I have tons of energy. I had a physical recently and the doctor said all my lab tests look great - my HDL was so high it offset my high LDL.

IF and OMAD gave me back my life, a life with confidence and food freedom.

Brian from California

I discovered this way of life almost by accident. A friend of mine started a keto diet, and I thought it might be dangerous for him so I started doing some research. Through the research, I discovered Dr. Fung's videos on YouTube, and discovered OMAD (one meal a day) soon after.

I was already doing the old calorie in calorie out diet (had just started) and thought "I can do this and it is much easier".

I was at 265 lbs at the time (April 2017). I had what I thought was bad knees and hips due to old age and, though a pretty avid bike rider, would tire easily. I had quit wearing jeans after being unable to button my 42 waist and had switched to full time overalls.

Just a month in to OMAD, I went to an outdoor concert wearing the jeans I couldn't wear before, and was able to stand and dance like nobody was watching for 5 straight hours! Absolutely no pain at all in the knees or hips!

I quit weighing myself about a month ago (July 2017) and was down about 40 lbs. at that point. I currently am wearing a 38 waist jean and they are getting looser! I haven't felt this good since my 20s, seriously. I am no longer easily winded when I ride and have cut 5 minutes off of my bike commute to work! OMAD has been a miracle to me, allowing me to enjoy food (which I do) without guilt. No calorie, fat grams, or carb grams to count. If there was, I wouldn't do it. Period. I tend to be the kid who would be up the tree he was told to stay away from 5 minutes ago, and that inner rebel has persisted into middle age. Tell me I can't eat it and I will shove it into my pie hole while looking you right in the face, lol.

So, what do I do, you ask? I eat once a day. Period. I sit down to a meal, and when I am done, I am done until the next day with very few exceptions. What do I eat, you ask? Honestly, whatever I want. I have pasta, pizza, burgers, cheesesteaks, dim sum, Mexican food, Indian food, brats, salads, subs, steak and potatoes, etc. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is off the menu. The only rule is a clean fast. I drink a lot of coffee, water and mineral water during my fast times. Do I "cheat" ever you ask? Yup, once every couple weeks or so. Usually it is because of a social event (party, etc), but occasionally just because my body screams FEED ME! Now, I do not call that cheating. I call it living life. No guilt, because it is what you do most of the time that counts, not what you do only once in a while. My body is proof it's working!

Donna from Rhode Island

Note: "WOE" means "Way of Eating"

Delay, Don't Deny changed my life. I have been a lifer when it comes to diets. Calorie restriction and the latest diet craze became my way of life. I always lost weight rapidly but quickly lost my mojo. My husband and I have 2 beautiful grandsons (3 and 7). Looking into their eyes made me realize that FAT SUCKS and I want to be healthy for me and for them. Huge revelation right?A friend told me about Gin Stephens and her DDD book. Bingo--a plan was made. I started with 16:8 but quickly switched to OMAD (One Meal a Day) with a 1 hour eating window. Amazing discovery--the weight fell off. I do IF every day, coupled with vigorous exercise 7 days a week. I keep my carbs to 20 grams and my protein to 20% of my intake. I follow a LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) plan and have dropped 75 pounds in 18 weeks. Bye, double chin and puffy cheeks. Hello, cheekbones. Love this way of eating. Thank you Gin for motivating me. The boys thank you too.

Helen Steinke

Hello, everyone! A little about myself. I am 54 years of age, and a stay at home mom and wife. I am married to an awesome man who is very supportive with this WOE (way of eating). I have a son and a daughter who are both married, and two grandchildren. Before my complete hysterectomy in 2006, I was 150 pounds. After the surgery, my weight went up. I tried many things, including spending my winters in the gym and eating low-carb meals, and denying myself all the foods I really love to eat, with very little success. As long as I kept on that plan I could keep a few pounds off, but as soon as I would stop going to the gym, the pounds would come back on. My thought was that I will never be that skinny again, so I need to learn to accept that .

Well, thank goodness my sister Katie introduced me to IF on December 27, 2016. When she explained this way of eating, my response was: no, that can't be. How can you eat everything you love and eat all those carbs and lose a lot of weight? Knowing my sister, she LOVES her salads and vegetables, and can pretty much live off of that stuff alone. I was very hesitant, BECAUSE I LOVE MY CARBS .... and I thought her weight loss was because of her love for salads and vegetables. My thought was, what can it hurt? The worst that can happen is I wouldn't lose weight .

I made myself a promise that I would give it an honest try for three months, and if I didn't see results I would give it up, so I dove right in and started with 23 /1. My starting weight ..... 180 lbs. At exactly 7 months later, my weight is 149 lbs. I wish I had taken measurements, but I did not. I can tell you that I am down in sizes: Dress - from a large to small or medium. Pants - from 12 to 8 or 6. Tops - from a large to a small.

Now, for all you people that have to sit and watch your loved ones eat lunch, I understand how hard that is, especially in the beginning. I would make an awesome breakfast and lunch for my husband and had to smell the food I was cooking, and then to sit there and watch him eat while I was sitting there with my cup of coffee ... IT WAS TOUGH! There were times I wanted to eat, but kept going back to that promise I had made to myself. For the first month, when my eating window opened, so did the fridge and pantry door, and I would stuff as much food as I could get in my mouth, and as fast as I could while I was cooking supper ... LOL ... and it was all carbs and junk food. For me, after my first week of IF, I realized I had lost weight. I couldn't believe it! Yes, it was a lot of water weight I'm sure, but I continued to lose weight after that. That was all the motivation I needed to keep going, and I knew I would never give up this way of eating.

What has made this so easy for me is that we are 5 sisters all doing IF, so there is a lot of support, and we all encourage one another when times get tough. Our biggest supporter is Katie. Before we would give up or get discouraged because we didn't see a fast weight loss, we would call on her, and her response would be: trust the process. She would talk us through whatever difficulty we were having.

Before I started IF, I had no energy, and right after lunch I had to have a nap every day. when I started this way of eating I had so much energy (and still do) that I never nap anymore. My fasting is very clean: I only have water, black coffee, and green tea during my fasting hours. My eating window is usually an hour, though some days it ends up at 2-3 hours due to interruptions. When we have weekends away, I do lunch and supper with drinks, and go back to my one hour eating as soon as we get home; and yes, I will always put on weight during times away, but after a week I will be back to were I was. What do I eat? I eat all the food I love. All of my favorites, and that means a lot of carbs because ... DID I SAY I LOVE MY CARBS? I do not care for a lot of sweets, so I do not have a lot of desserts. I have limited my alcohol during this time, but have had and still do have a few drinks now and again AND I DO NOT WORK OUT!!!!

My plan is to be 140 lbs. before I begin maintenance. I know I will get there, because I'm not giving up this way of eating ... I AM A FASTER FOR LIFE! For me, the weight came off fairly fast for the first four months, but the last two months have been very slow. For all of you that think it will not happen or is not happening anymore, it will! Keep at it: it's a lifestyle change. All I can tell you is ... DON'T GIVE UP! Nobody can take the weight off of you but yourself. Make a promise to yourself, and keep it. Something I heard a lot during this process from my sister is ... TRUST THE PROCESS! So I am telling all of you to do the same. When times get tough, find someone you can talk to for support and help you through the hard times. For me, it was Katie and all my sisters. So, thank you, girls, for being there and helping me through this. I couldn't have done it without you!!! GIN said it best... I DESERVE TO BE SKINNY ... that, my friends, has stuck with me. And for all of you that are struggling, tell yourself you want to be the next success story ... I can't wait to hear it!!! Thank you, Gin, for sharing your success story, and thank you for all the research and hard work you are doing for all of us and for sharing this awesome way of life with all of us.

Terri

Before and During!

I've been trying to lose weight for the past 20 years. I've tried pretty much every diet out there. Spent about 10 years trying and failing at Carb Addicts Diet and Atkins. I just thought I was an utter failure because I couldn't stay away from the carbs. I felt horrible when I was sticking to low carb as I should be. I was pre-diabetic, had high blood pressure, and was starting to have trouble just getting around. My highest weight was 299. I lost and regained the same 50 lbs over and over and over again. I had pretty much given up hope and resigned myself to just being sick and fat forever when for some reason the OMAD (One Meal a Day) Facebook page was advertised on my feed. I checked it out and then purchased The Obesity Code and read it in one sitting. I didn't think I could do the long fasts like Dr. Fung talked about in the book so I pretty much put it away. The next day out of curiosity I went back to the OMAD page, read Gin's book, and decided what do I have to lose, and I tried it. 7 months later I'm down 55 lbs in total. My blood pressure is normal, my A1c is normal, and I feel great! First time I've ever in my life felt in control around food. And I eat anything I like even CARBS! :D I've never ever stuck to anything this long. I intend to do it for the rest of my life. <3

100% faith in Delaying, not Denying, & I am proof of its success!

Today marks one month of intermittent fasting for me!! I have lost 16 pounds and a couple inches!

I was very fortunate to have always been a healthy weight most of my life. I just turned 34, and after having baby #3, I also got diagnosed with Hashimoto's about a year ago on top of having a baby. This really packed on the pounds for me. I have never had to worry about food. I've always been able to eat what I wanted, as much as I wanted and when I wanted and never gained an ounce. If anything, I would lose weight. It was awesome. This gave me an excuse to love food even more. I loved me some Big Mac meals and lots and lots of soft drinks and high calorie sugary Starbucks drinks. I had no self control and would eat like a pig to my hearts content and still manage to wear a teeny bikini.

Fast forward to present day --if I do so much as even look at a Snicker's bar, I gain ten pounds. So, imagine how hard it is for someone who has become addicted to fast food/junk food/sugar and never had a limit....then now, where it's almost as though I'm coming off of a drug, like I'm legit rehabbing! It's really freaking hard!

I have tried hundreds of diets and have failed every single one of them!! Dieting is hard! It's not practical and it's boring! Not to mention, pure punishment!

I found the Facebook group, and thanks to Gin Stephens and her amazing book, I have fallen in love with DDD (Delay, Don't Deny) and OMAD (One Meal a Day)!!! It's the BEST thing that has ever happened to me!!

In 30 days, I have lost 16 pounds and 2 + inches. My skin is clear and glowing. The only cravings I get now are to exercise and I legit LOVE my coffee black now!! (If you would have told me a month ago that in 30 days I'd be drinking my coffee black, I would have laughed in your face!) I have complete control over my appetite by enjoying large scrumptious meals, sometimes a plate of nachos or pizza, sometimes a spinach salad. My body tells me what I need and how much of it I need, when I need it, and the best part of all, my body now tells me exactly when to stop eating. I no longer stress about food all day, I don't worry about calories and I've saved a bunch of time and money by switching to OMAD.

The family members and friends who were stoning me for doing IF are now asking me for my guidance to start this way of eating.

I have never felt more in control of my life and I have never felt more healthy than I do right now! If you aren't DDD'ing, then you really don't know what you're missing out on!! This is my new life. I will never go back!!!

The Awakening!

I started dieting in 1968 when I was 14 years old. I have counted calories on various diets. I've counted carbs on the Marine's Diet when I was 18, then later on the Atkin's diet and recently on the New Atkins diet. I have counted points on the Weight Watcher's Diet a couple of times. Plus there have been many fad diets I have tried. I have always lost some weight only to gain it all back and then some. I discovered intermittent fasting last summer and started doing it every day on August 1st, 2016. I fast 19 -22 hours every day and have a 2 to 5 hour daily eating window. I've lost 41 lbs so far and 8 1/2 inches in my waist. There are no words to express how happy and thankful I am now. I no longer count anything. I'm 62 yrs. old but feel like I'm 30. I take no medication, sleep like a baby and have so much energy that sometimes I don't know what to do with myself. I will live this lifestyle always!

Brian

Here is a little story of why I'm so thankful for this way of life. In January, I began the task of seeking weight loss through bariatric surgery. I had tried everything. Diets failed, didn't have time to work out, and my body ached all the time. I had diabetes and hypertension.

A friend at work started telling me about fasting and how wonderful it was. I started researching to prove him wrong, and I couldn't. Bought the books, decided to give this a try and see what happens. My surgery was scheduled for July 20th. I had to attend 6 meetings with the dietitian, meetings with the physical therapist, meetings with the doctors. Insurance wants to see if you are serious about weight loss, so you have to lose some kind of pounds for them to approve covering the cost. I did everything expected of me.

I started at the end of January - beginning of February with IF. Moved to OMAD (one meal a day) at the end of Feb. I have visited Paris, Chicago, Chattanooga and eaten a lot of food for my one meal a day. I have gotten so much energy that I have stopped our lawn service as I cut the grass now. I have stopped paying for car washes since I wash my car and the wife's. I stopped paying for a gym membership as I have an exercise bike, free weights, and a bunch of work to do at home. So, if getting healthy is about a lifestyle change - this has definitely changed the way I live and my mentality when it comes to food. I tend to look at food more as fuel and not a task I have to complete ("eat everything in sight - you are hungry Brian!").

Today was my final visit with my dietitian. Being down 38 lbs since I started, I have decided to cancel my surgery. I have until the end of the year to change my mind, but .... if I think about it, the lifestyle I live now is working and well worth it. I have improved my life for the better. My house looks good, cars look good, I look good, bank account looks good (not spending a lot of money on food). My blood sugar is now in the range of pre-diabetes. My body feels cleaner, not getting pains and aches I use to get. I am not at my goal weight, but I am at at my goal mindset - it's okay to love food, but don't let it control you; become an active member in your life and stop being lazy; and enjoy the life you live.

Many thanks to Gin and everyone in the OMAD FB group. It feels as if I've been reborn. I know I may not lose as fast as some, but all things considered, the future looks amazing. I wanted to reach my goal weight this year, but it may take another year and that's perfectly fine with me. Life is about the journey and not the destination, so I'm letting the window down and enjoying the breeze, knowing I'm on the right path to success!

Kate

I've struggled with my weight for my whole life. I just kind of dealt with it until I was in 8th grade, at which point I decided to jump on the low-fat trend that was so popular in the early 90s. And it worked! I lost 80 pounds, rejoiced at the fact that I was finally thin and "normal," and then promptly put it all back on when I went back to eating "normally" again.

The weight slowly crept up and up over the years. I went up and down here and there. I tried exercise and various fad diet plans, with minimal success, and ultimately I found myself at my highest weight of 273 pounds in 2015. In fact, I don't even remember being that heavy (I think I blocked it out), but I know it's true, because it was logged into my fitness tracker at that point.

I started out my current weightloss journey doing a low carb/ketogenic diet in the spring of 2016. I had heard about keto from a friend who touted it's effectiveness. I read up on it, and started eating that way, and it was indeed effective, but I couldn't shrug off this feeling that I was still a slave to my weight. Sure, I could eat all the bacon I wanted, but I couldn't feel free to celebrate with a piece of birthday cake with my family, or a glass of wine with friends. I had this constant anxiety that one molecule of dreaded carbs would erase all my hard work. I could never feel totally "normal" eating low carb. It wasn't a feasible lifestyle change for me, because it didn't fully allow me to live.

Luckily a friend of mine (the same friend who introduced me to keto, actually) told me to look up Intermittent Fasting. I did a little research online, which lead me to Gin's site and Facebook group. Before interacting at all in the group, I purchased her book, read up, and then got started. It's been an absolute game changer. Not only am I slimming down with ease, but I have incredible energy and confidence, my cravings for unhealthy foods has greatly diminished, I drink tons of water, and I no longer have anxiety about eating with other people. I no longer have to worry that I won't be able to find something I can eat at restaurants or parties. I no longer have to limit the types of meals I can make with my fiancé (bless his heart, he gave up a lot of yummy carbs at one point in time). Intermittent fasting has truly given me something I never thought I'd have: Freedom!

I am currently at my first goal weight, having lost almost 100 pounds! The next step is to keep on being an awesome IF'er, hit the gym to get svelte, and keep spreading the word to others who are struggling with their weight! This is a lifestyle everyone should be aware of. Thanks, Gin!

Sharon H. From North Carolina

My journey for me started last summer. I was at our pool when I started talking to a friend about losing weight. She told me about intermittent fasting...I listened....being very skeptical. She said I will add you to this group on Facebook. I started reading up on it and thought to myself what do I have to lose!! So on July 13th I woke up and weighed myself...235 pounds!!! That was my starting day. I wrote my weight on the calendar and grabbed me a bottle of water. I jumped straight in with my five hour window being from 4 to 9. The only major thing I did was quit drinking sodas. I still drink my sweet tea but only in my window. I drink strictly water until my window opens. I still eat whatever I want!! Cheeseburgers, pizza, pasta and chocolate!! Now I don't eat as much as I used to, but I still get too enjoy my favorite foods.....which is absolutely wonderful!!! This way of life has been the best thing to ever happen to me!! Now my weight didn't drop right off in a couple of weeks, but since July 13th until now I have managed to lose 95 pounds!! Which still shocks me.....it has seemed way too easy! I haven't deprived myself of anything I enjoy eating!! I am 42 years old and feel better than I did when I was 30!! My body doesn't ache anymore, I am not tired all the time and I feel great about myself!!

Dave

My One Meal a Day Intermittent Fasting Journey started on January 3, 2017. On New Year's Eve I was at 283 pounds, had high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and elevated enzymes on my liver. I felt bad and was tired of being me.

I always noticed how I was never hungry naturally until around 2pm everyday, so I decided I would try eating just dinner and also starting looking to see if anyone else did something crazy like this to lose weight and get healthier.

I found Gin's book through a search on Facebook and joined her page (which I love) and the bought the book Delay, Don't Deny. After reading it and following all tips and directions I began to change, and change for me came fast. Now only 3 month later all of my blood work came back normal last week! I am down 37 pounds and plan on dropping 35 more. I have a new way of life; it happens once a day.

Nick

My testimonial is lengthy so if you prefer the cliff notes version: I was 235 lbs. in 2008 and 180 lbs. today in 2017; 25 lbs. of the loss is 100% attributed to intermittent fasting and one meal a day, which occurred over a two month period. I have never known such an effortless way of eating which adds countless health benefits and a new relationship with food.

Now for those who wish to know more, here we go. In 2004, I ended a 20 year relationship with the love of my life: Crystal Methamphetamine. As is the case with many recovering addicts, I replaced one addiction with another, food. Between 2004 and 2008 I went from 185 lbs. to 235 lbs., for a total of 50 lbs., all of which was fat. Not only was I looking horrible, but I began to have G.I. issues; it was time for change. After some soul searching, the first thing I did was become vegetarian in 2008. This was as much for animal welfare as it was for my health. I still wasn’t eating properly and it would take some time before I stopped consuming processed fake meat products, which are filled with soy and a ton of multisyllabic chemicals, as my primary source of food.

In 2010 I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and incorporated juicing into my diet. Juicing helped me not only to lose about 10-15 lbs., but I also learned to enjoy the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables. After about 6 months of juicing, I decided to stop wasting so much food and just eat the whole thing; I was throwing away all the nutrient rich fiber and pretty much just drinking sugar water. Now I was preparing my own meals made from fresh produce, but I was eating 3-4 times a day. At this point I was introduced to a program that eliminated all flour and sugar from my diet. This was by far the most painful and restrictive program I had ever encountered. I had great success with this but as time would prove, it was unsustainable. I found a post from Facebook 2012: “Target weight of 180 reached today! Highest weight was 235. Bounced between 218 and 235 for several years. Last year cut out flour and processed foods and sugar; the past five months I've been on a mostly vegan diet; cutting out the dairy really helped as well as a s### load of exercise.” So reaching 180 lbs. I had become vegetarian on a mainly vegan diet and had also eliminated all flour, sugar and processed foods. I remember 2012 and 180 lbs. as being jubilant, but also that it was such an arduous process and I certainly was never satisfied with the food I was eating and always seemed to be hungry. I was exercising for 90 minutes a day at the gym; to reach this point was a huge effort and in hind sight, destined to fail. As with all calorie restricting diets, this was completely unsustainable and within a year I had binged on flour and sugar to the point of reaching 200 lbs.

This is when I learned about Intermittent Fasting from Dr. Joseph Mercola’s Facebook page. I loved the science behind this concept and in 2014 implemented a 16:8 schedule which I eventually dropped down to a 19:5. By June 2014, I reached an unprecedented 177 lbs. by keeping a five hour window, but I was also denying myself any processed sugar and I was eating a lot of raw vegetables; again not very satisfying or sustainable. July 2014 my husband underwent brain surgery and I took off time from work to care for him. At this point IF flew right out the window and I returned to the dreaded 3 meals a day. Slowly, at first, 5 lbs., 10 lbs., 15 lbs.; the same pattern emerged so that by spring of 2016, I had reached 205 lbs.

By December 2016 something finally began to shift in me. I don’t remember where I first ran across the idea of one meal a day, but I started watching some YouTube videos on the idea. Then on December 24th I told my husband what I was considering doing and asked for his support; he gave it without question. Christmas Day 2016 was my first attempt at one meal a day. I chose a one hour window between 10:30am and 11:30am. At work, there was a Christmas dinner for all employees which was difficult, but I passed; day one was a success! After finding that I didn’t wither away from starvation I decided that if I were going to attempt this as a lifestyle, I would need to establish this as a habit: I committed to OMAD for 30 days. This proved to be a wonderful tool and I recommend to all beginners to commit to a time frame to establish this as your new normal. This is also when I searched Facebook for a community of likeminded people and fortunately the first group I found was Gin Stephens' group, One Meal A Day IF Lifestyle. For a former twelve stepper who is not very fond of groups, this group has made all the difference in the world and is a huge part of my success. I have never known such a supportive and inspirational group of people. After being part of this community for only a few days, I decided to purchase Gin’s book: Delay, Don’t Deny, which I found to be an excellent book especially for someone just beginning this lifestyle. Today I am 5 pounds away from an arbitrary number of 175 lbs. I’m not sure what my actual weight will eventually be; I’m waiting to see what this body decides. Every day I am learning to listen to this body because it knows exactly what it needs and how much it should weigh. There truly is no reason I can find, not to continue this lifestyle and way of eating; there is so much freedom and empowerment with this way of life. February 14, 2017

Laura--Bristol, UK

I am a mother to 3 young boys. Before I had children I had always struggled with my weight and I was what people call a yo-yo dieter, putting on weight and losing alternatively within months. I had 2 children 15 months apart and my weight rocketed. I was introduced to fasting through the 5:2 diet and lost about 30 lbs. Then, I came across intermittent fasting: One Meal a Day and Fast-5. It was a concept I thought I could follow after researching about it all.

Just before starting this new way of life I found out I was expecting my third bundle of mayhem and mischief. During my final pregnancy I put on over 4 stone (56 lbs.) and that weight wasn't going anywhere after having little man. 3 months after my son's birth I decided enough was enough, and I found Gin's page. I thought, "Let's go for it!" Although I am a very quiet member of the Facebook group, I am on it daily. The support has been amazing.

I started doing IF, and now just over 2 years later I am over 68 lbs. down and only 5 lbs. away from a target that I haven't hit for many many years. I truly believe IF is what has got me there. Friends and family have always been skeptical, and of course I hear the usual remarks of "starving yourself" and "it's not healthy". I now just let them have their opinions, but no one can deny after seeing my before and after that it doesn't work.

I feel so blessed to have found this new way of life. Some days are harder than others, and when life throws you a curve ball you have to resist falling back to old habits. I know I feel healthier, sleep better, and have more energy. I am actually starting to enjoy seeing my reflection again in the mirror, and not avoiding them at all costs, which is what it has been for the last 5 years

ANYONE can do this!

Never thought I would ever write a success story. I never succeed on any diet before (and I've tried sooo many.) After giving birth to my three kids I was about 80 kg (176 pounds) and I started one meal a day (OMAD) after I was proposed to in October of 2016. I thought it would be hard... but it's the easiest thing I've ever done! Only giving up on my diet soda and drinking my coffee black was a hard thing to do ;-) I've lost 32 pounds (16 kg) so far without working out and I eat whatever I like with my family within my window (mostly 3 or 4 hours). Since OMAD I feel like I've escaped out of diet prison :) I can do this for the rest of my life. So happy I've found OMAD, and the book really made sense, I learned so much from it!